Spring structure.



W. B. SMITH & G. A. FRANZ.

SPRING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED was. 1912.

1,150,789. Patented Aug. 17,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTORS 9,1 3 Allarney WM; W J

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W. B. SMITH & G. A. FRANZ.

SPRING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5. 1912.

1,150,789, Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES 2.. WJNQTORS 5k 2/ ,MW

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png rrnn STATES PATENT onrion.

WATSON B. SMITH AND sUs'rAv A. FRANZ, or JAcKsoN, MIonieA AsSIGNoR's T0 JACKSON CUSHION SPRING COMPANY, or JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

SPRING STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters lateht. Patented A11 17, 1915.

Application filed August 5, 1912. Serial No. 713,373.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that we, VVA'rsoN B. SMITH and GUs'rAv A. FRANZ, both citizens of the United States, and both residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new. andv useful Improvements in Spring Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring structures.

The main object is to provide a spring structure for chairs, cars, beds, automobile or other vehicles embodying among other characteristics means whereby when the structure is upholstered there will be formed at the-upper front edge thereof a roll with a minimum amount of hair and upholstering material and which will produce not only an attractive front but provide for a soft, pliable upper front edge in contradistinctio-n to the usual stiff edge and square facing effect.

Another object resides in the provision of spring structure embodying an arrangement and organization of parts to obviate all the strain incident to the weight of the rider being placed on the border wires and to provide for considerable flexibility without danger of the main springs of the structure becoming disconnected with relation to one another.

\Vith the above and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being under stood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 1

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings the reference character 10 indicates a lower frame to which may be connected by means of suitable clips 11 supporting wires 12 upon which may be mounted the main springs A, the front row of springs being arranged preferably in upper and lower sets 13 and 14c with the springs 13 and 14 connected together preferably bymeans of suitable. clips 15, said clips engaging opposite sides of the upper convolutionsof the lower springs 1 .1:

and the upper springs 13 being preferably secured to the clips 15 by means of suitable rivets 16. v, The character B indicates an upper frame which is disposed preferably upon a slight rearward incline with respect to the lower frame so that in the event of the vehicle striking an obstruction in the roadway or otherwise jolting the rider there will be a tendencyof the rider to be thrown backwardly rather than forwardly off of the seat. This top frame B is not continuous but preferably has an openfront. Its side portions at the front of the .upper corner springs 13 are directed inwardly as at 18 and secured at these points by means of suitable clips 19 to the upper front corner springs of the Structure. From these upper front corner springs the front portions of the top frame are directed downwardly upon.

.an incline as at 20, terminating short of each other, and secured to a wire 21 by mean of suitable clips 22. It is preferable totform upwardly directed kinks 23 in the wire 21 where the aforesaid clips'22 connect the inclined portions 20 of the upper frame with said wire 21 and to slightly defiect inwardly the extremities of the inclined portions 20, as at 25, sothat the clips 22 cannot slide on the wire 21 by virtue of which, and the extremities of the portions 20 of theupper frame being deflected, as at 24, the side portions of the top frame, and consequently all of the side springs cannot be deflected sidewise either inwardly or outwardly of the structure, thereby insuring vertical movement of, the side springs of the structure. Furthermore, by. virtue of these inclined portions 20 of the top frame, the upper front corner springs of the structure are rendered, less resilient than the springs at the upper front portion intermediate these corner springs. The rider usually seatshimself centrally of the structure and, by virtue ofthe upper frame A being not continued across the structurebut arranged as described, the upper frame is open at its front, and the front row of springs, be-

outer sides of the lower corner springs 14 byv means of suitable clips 26 and from these lower front corner springs these horizontal portions 25 of the wire 21 are directed downwardly upon an incline as at 27 with their extremities connected to the lower frame by means of suitable clips 28, one clip 28 the structure to prevent 'a complete combeing on theside of the base frame and one clip 28 being disposed preferably at the rear of the base frame. However,the extremities of the inclined portions 27 of the wire 21 may be secured to the base frame in any pression of the same at its front. No-twithstandingthis stiffening of the fron't'of'the structure, however,the peculiar formation of the upper frame with the front row of springs intermediate the front corner springs unconnected with the; upper frame, there is considerable elasticity at the upper front edge of the structure. If desired, the wire 21 may be connected at one end to the lower frame 10 and arranged upon an upward incline with itsother end connected to thewire'21 by means of a suitable clip tions 27 of the wire 21..

To, provide the upper front edge of the structure with means whereby a pliable roll edge may be formed atzthe upper front portion thereof, we may employ steel bands 0 each of which bands is preferably bent intermediate its ends to provide a substantially ,U-shapedmember including a bight portion 23 and upper and lower leg portions 30 and 31, respectively. There is preferably arranged one band for each row of springs 13 which extend from the front to the rear of the structure. The lower leg portion 31 of each yieldable element C is preferably secured to the aforesaid clips 15 by means of the same rivet 16 that secures the upper front springs 13 to said clips 15. The upper leg portions 30 are preferably secured to the upper convolutions of the springs of the structure by means of suitable rivets 33. The bight portion 29 ofthese bands overhangs or projects beyond the upper front portion of the structure and provides for directed kinks 34in which the outer ends '70 similar links 36 may be used for connecting" I the upper convolutions of the remaining springs to prevent sidewise 'movement, if V desired. The upper convolutions of the rows of springs extending fromthe front to the rear of the" structure are preferably connected together by'means of short coil I springs 37 which expand and permit flexibility and yet prevent liability of the springs tearing apart from the front to the rear of the structure, and by'virtue of'which coil springs and the coiled main springs there is in reality a flexible eonnectionbe-V tween the upper leg portions of theyieldable elements C and the rear 'of' the upper frame. a

l Vhat is claimed is v p '1. A spring structure comprisi'g upper and lower frames, springs arranged between the frames, a wireextending across the and lower frames and connected to" the front row of springs, said wire having its ends directed rearward in substantially horizontal planes around the front corner springsand connected to the sides of the latter, said substantially horizontally disposed end portions of said wire element terminating in downwardly inclined portions which are front of the structure between the upper connected to the lower frame so as to pre-' vent buckling of the front row of springs,

the upper frame being open atits front and in eluding inelined portions which areunconof the upper frame to said wire element so as to prevent inward or outward tilting of the front corner springs. I r

2. A spring structureeomprising upper and lower frames,springs arranged between the frames, a wire extending across the front of the structure between the" upper and lower frames and connected to the front row of springs, said wire having its ends directed rearward in substantially horizontal planes around the front corner springs and connected to the sides of the latter, said sub s'tantially horizontally disposedend portions of said v wire element terminating in downwardly inclined portions which are connected to the lower frame so as to prevent buckling'ofthe front row of springs, the upper frame being open atits front and in cludinginclined portions which are unconnected with the front row of springs, means for connecting the inclined portions of the upper frame to'said wire element so as to prevent inward or outward tilting of the front corner springs,and a brace wire having connection with said wire element intermediate its ends and also connected with the lower frame to reinforce the aforesaid downwardly inclined portions of said wire element in their action of preventing buckling of the front row of springs.

3. A spring structure comprising upper and lower frames, rows of springs arranged between the frames, a wire extending across the front row of springs and connected thereto and provided at its'ends with rearwardly directed inclined portions which extend downwardly to the lower frame, means for connecting said downwardly inclined portions of said wire to the lower frame so as to prevent buckling of the front row of springs, the upper frame being open at its front and including inclined portions which are unconnected with the front row of springs, and means for connecting said inclined portions of the upper frame to said wire so as to prevent inward oroutward tilting of the front corner springs.

4. A spring structure comprising upper and lower frames, rows of springs arranged between the frames, a wire extending across the front of the structure between the upper and lower frames and having connection with. all of thesprings of the front row and also having connection with the lower frame adjacent the rear of the latter so as to prevent inward or outward buckling of the and lower frames, rows of springs arranged between the frames, a wire extending across the front of the structure between the upper and lower frames and having connection with all of the springs of the front row and also having connection with the lower frame adjacent the rear of the latter so as to prevent inward or outward buckling of the front row of springs intermediate their ends, said wire having a plurality of kinks therein, the upper frame being open at its front and including inclined portions which engage said wire at the kinked portions of the latter, and means for securing said inclined portions of the upper frame to the kinked portions of said wire so as to prevent inward or outward tilting of the front corner springs.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WATSON B. SMITH. GUSTAV A. FRANZ.

WVitnesses:

C. H. EDGAR, F. CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

